Vicki Belo shines on ELLE Singapore cover

Renowned aesthetic dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon and entrepreneur Victoria “Vicki” Belo recently graced the digital cover of ELLE Singapore. The feature celebrates Belo’s decades-long impact on the beauty and aesthetics industry.

Expressing her gratitude and disbelief over the achievement, Belo wrote, “Never thought in my lifetime I’d be in the cover of the prestigious @ellesingapore fashion magazine. Daddy and Mommy, I hope I’m making you proud.” 

She also thanked the publication, writing, “Thank you @ellesingapore.”

Many Filipino celebrities, including Iza Calzado, Heaven Peralejo, Zeinab Harake, and Karylle, showed their support in the comments section of her Instagram post.

In the feature, ELLE Singapore presented Belo as “the face behind the faces,” highlighting her work with some of the Philippines’ biggest stars. During the interview, she reflected on how being bullied because of her appearance inspired her lifelong mission to help others feel beautiful.

According to the fashion magazine, Belo’s philosophy on beauty is surprisingly pragmatic. “Good-looking people earn more,” she remarked. “If everybody were equally good-looking, you'd be judged on character, intelligence and integrity. But the reality is, the girl with glasses and pimples who is smart and kind? She's almost invisible.”

Belo opened up about her own struggles with severe acne, revealing that she battled the condition until she was 33 years old. 

She also shared a childhood memory that helped shape her future. When she was 11, her father asked her to help make their last name famous, explaining that people often misspelled it as “Bello” instead of “Belo.” Determined to help, her younger self bought stickers and placed the Belo name on every notebook and tumbler she owned.

After graduating from medical school in the mid-80s and obtaining diplomas in various specializations, Belo started her practice in Makati. She later founded the Belo Medical Group in the early 90s, one of the Philippines’ leading medical aesthetic clinics. 

Interestingly, her journey in medicine began because she was an unhappy patient herself. As a teenager, she spent years sitting in cold, sterile waiting rooms while doctors repeatedly treated her acne with little success. Unsatisfied by the experience, she made a promise to herself when she was 13: “When I become a dermatologist, my clinic will be beautiful.” 

She recalled envisioning  a beautiful clinic filled with fresh flowers instead of plastic ones, and new magazines rather than the dog-eared, months-old copies commonly found in waiting rooms.

Belo also reflected on one of the most difficult chapters of her life: her breast cancer diagnosis in 2016. She revealed that she kept the illness private for years until she had fully recovered.

“I didn't want people to think of cancer when they think of Belo,” she explained. “I need to associate the name with beauty.”

Now 70, Belo continues to shape the beauty industry and remains the trusted dermatologist of some of the Philippines' biggest stars including Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, Andrea Brillantes, Belle Mariano, and Sarah Geronimo.